belief and blue fish

When challenged to come up with a Blue Fish moment, I found it difficult to choose, which possibly explains why I am submitting my story at the very last moment. My love affair with Blue Fish Clothing has extended almost the entirety of the twenty years since the company was born. We have had our many ups and downs, but through it all we have -- BLF and I -- made magic, making me feel aesthetically special and, at times, quite beautiful.

I can actually still remember when I discovered Blue Fish. It was in 1991 at Pirjo’s Clothing boutique at the old Garfinckel’s building at 13th and F Streets NW in Washington DC. I saw a teal, cropped t-shirt with an abstract block print in the store front on my way to the Old Ebbitt Grill for lunch with some people I worked with. That t-shirt stuck in my mind so much that I went back after work and bought it. The t-shirt story doesn’t altogether end well, as in the early days of Blue Fish there weren’t any washing instructions and Pirjo assured me it could be put into the dryer. Well, that doesn’t work long-term as we all know today! May that pretty little t-shirt rest in peace.

In any case, after that first purchase I was hooked and have been following Blue Fish ever since. I followed it when Pirjo’s moved to Georgetown and then I branched out to Gossypia Clothing in Alexandria. There were heady days when I found Blue Fish Clothing at Nordstrom’s (I have a wonderful memory of shopping at the Nordies in Tyson’s Corner Virginia during the hectic Christmas holiday shopping and having a saleswoman bring me an apple juice and a Blue Fish outfit to try on in the dressing room--drawstring organic cotton pants with a toy plane motif and matching jacket. It was an oasis from the maddening crowds. I still have that outfit and wear it with fond memories). I think that I found out Bluefish had gone public at that Nordstrom’s on a lovely fish tag telling “fans” shares in the company were available. I arranged to buy 200 shares in the new company (with the fabulous symbol BLF--belief).

I still have the Blue Fish catalogues that I managed to get my hands on. The oldest one is dated 1995 (My very favorite is the Summer 2000 edition; will you guys ever consider re-releasing the white short slip in crinkle tencel???) . I still have my 1996 Blue Fish Annual Report (I admit I voted against Ben Cohen for the Board). There is a wonderful paragraph in that report about the importance of Blue Fish customer loyalty. To the company. Although the public company ultimately failed, I think the customer loyalty has remained seminal. Thank goodness other women appreciate Blue Fish Clothing as much as I do!

There are truly so many personal memories I have that vividly include a Blue Fish Clothing outfit that I could share (the time that I dance on Halloween in a black thermal cotton dress, the time I met John P. on the Arlington Arts Center staircase in an outfit of black leggings, a layering t-shirt, and a light-blue tunic with a purple fish motif, and on and on), but I think they would probably bore you. Actually, one of the best was when I feared I had lost Blue Fish forever, but ran into someone who spotted me at an Arts Center opening wearing a Blue Fish outfit and told me about the re-launch of the company on a web site basis and now called Barclay Studio. A few years ago I finally made my way to the Frenchtown shop as one of my “bucket list” of things I had to do before I left the planet.

Frankly, I could make this essay a book, but I’d better stop. I wanted to close by mentioning the human element to all this. Although I have never met Frani or Caryl, they feel like good friends who help me make good decisions about what I am buying. They are unfailingly cheerful and helpful. They always warn me when things run big or small. I sometimes feel as though they have made some wonderful printing choices just for me. I’m going to close this by mentioning the attachment I have included. The call for entries suggested including a picture of ourselves in Blue Fish togs or our own art. I don’t do a lot of painting anymore and I don’t particularly favor getting my picture taken, so I’m including a picture of my cat Fala. He is a blue point Siamese and, for reasons unknown, does enjoy being carted around in my Blue Fish clothing anniversary bag. Go figure.

Happy Birthday, Blue Fish Clothing! May you continue and prosper for another (at least) twenty years. I don't know what I would do without you! :)